Agricultural and Food Policy
 Agri Outlook Radio
Number 211
Farm Bill Implementation Progress as of October 2008 for Commodity and Conservation Programs (3:56 minutes)
Audio/Video Script:
I’m Robert Coats Extension Economist University of Arkansas Division of
Agriculture.
Farm Bill implementation progress as of October 2008 for commodity and
conservation programs.
USDA began delivering program benefits within weeks of the mid-year enactment
of the 2008 farm bill. The new farm bill has 15 titles with more than 600
provisions. The current farm bill has 50% more provisions than the previous 2002
farm bill. Broadly speaking 68% of farm bill spending will go to nutrition, 8%
to conservation, 11% to commodity programs, and 8% to other programs.
Farm bill implementation commodity program progress includes:
First, USDA announced 2008 payment limitation and payment eligibility
provisions applicable to commodity and conservation programs.
Second, the announcement of 2008 farm bill provisions regarding marketing
assistance loans and loan deficiency payments for 2008 crop cotton and peanuts.
Third, USDA announced provisions regarding 2008-crop loan rates, schedules of
premiums and discounts, and other related activities.
Fourth, USDA has conducted new farm bill training for state officials and is
completing training of county officials.
Farm bill conservation program implementation includes in 2008 an additional
$200 million for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help farmers
and ranchers nationwide to solve natural resource problems; $150 million to the
Wetlands Reserve Program; and $7.5 million for the Agricultural Management
Assistance program .
For fiscal year 2009, USDA will distribute $1.8 billion in Conservation
Reserve Program rental payments to participants across the country.
In response to the Midwest flooding and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike,
supplemental funding was provided for the Emergency Watershed Program and the
Emergency Conservation Program — in addition to the Farm Bill funding.
USDA’s farm bill implementation progress in the areas of rural development,
nutrition programs, research and marketing, energy, credit programs, crop
insurance, and other areas can be viewed from their
web site location.
Additionally, USDA has held hundreds of meetings with stakeholders on most
titles of the Farm Bill. There is still much work to be completed, so there will
continue to be many opportunities for the public to provide their views and
expertise as USDA moves forward with implementation.
In addition, as regulations are published, the public is urged to use the
comment period for making their voices heard. USDA will be publishing Advanced
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for energy programs and other programs where
public input is needed on how to proceed.
This has been Robert Coats Extension Economist University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture.
Back to Agricultural and
Food Policy Radio
|
